Signaling device.



J. H. SIMPSON.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DB0. 11, 1912.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

n vanto@ SOHN. SIMPSON J. H. SIMPSON.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

` APPLICATION FILED DEC.11, 1912. l f

Patented Apr; 7, 1914.

y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

311 uewtoz @Imi/Wacom jo HN H- SIMPSON JOHN H. SIMPSON, 0FPROVIDENCEQRHODE ISLAND.

SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lllatcnted Apr. 7, 1914.

Application filed December 11i, 1912. Serial No. 736,188.

nalin Devices, of which the'following is a speci cation, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in signalingdevices and more particularly to a signaling device for automobiles andmy object is to provide a device .of this character which may be readilyoperated to indicate when a moving vehicle is about to turn to the rightor left or when the same is to stop entirely.

A further object of the invention resides in providing an indicatingmeans particularly adapted for use in connection with the tail lamp ofan automobile and a still further objectl resides in providing signalingmeans which are adapted to fit over the side signals of the tail lamp.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing" a devicewhich is eX- tremely simple and durable in construction, inexpensive tomanufacture and one which will be very efficient and useful inoperation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel features of construction,` combination and arrangement of parts aswill be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a 'part of this application, Figure1 is a side elevation of an automobile showing my device applied to usethereon. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a lamp showing the signalapplied. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the signal and operating means withthe lamp portion removed, partly in section and partly diagrammatic.Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the device as seen on line 6 6,Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the preferred form of thedevice. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the signaling and operating means withthe lamp portion removed, partly in section and partly diagrammatic,disclosing one signal member in its extended position.

In describing my invention, Ishall refer to the vdrawings -in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates the body of a vehicle towhich is applied. the tail lamp 2 of the usual or any preferred type,t'ie front face thereof being provided with the usual glass front andthe side faces thereof being provided with the usual colored signalingglasses 3. Formed on the side edges of the front wall of the lamp 2, arethe knuckles 4t which have loosely mounted therein the rods 5 andcarried on said rods 5, between the knuckles 4, are a pair of .signalingmembers 6 and 7. These signaling members are designed in the form of ahand with a pointing finger, but may be of any design whatsoever and areadapted to normally contact with the side faces of the lamp, saidsignaling members being pro- 1.'idcd with signaling glasses S which areadapted to cover the side signals 3 of the lamp in the normal positionof said members and 7 and are adapted to transmit therethrough the lightfrom thc lamp when said signals are disposed to their extendedpositions.

` As stated, the signaling devices are adapted tobc normally disposedagainst the sides of the lamp 3, and I have also provided an operatingmeans therefor; and to this; end, the rods have their lower ends bentrearwardly as shown at 9 and then again bent forwardly as shown at 10,the/latter bent portions being directed inwardly toward one another andextended to a plane forward of the front face of said lamp. The freeends of the bent portions 10 of said rods 5 have pivotally connectedthereto, the forward ends of the arcuate arms 11, the opposite ends ofsaid arms being pivotally connected together at a point 12 and thesearms l1, which are disposed slightly below the under face of the bottomofthe lamp, partially encircle a depending portion 13 of said lamp, saidlatter portieri being often'adapted to form an oil reservoir or the likefor the lamp. Pivotally connected to the' pivot point 12 of the arms 11is an operating" rod 14 which is adapted to be connected toany desiredoperating means and also connected with the pivot point 12 are theflexible connections 14 extending therefrom in opposite directions. asclearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In practice, when a device is traveling forwardly, the signals (5 and 7are, as stated previously, in their normal positions against the sidesof the lamp 2. As these signals 6 and 7 are provided with signalingglasses disclosing of these side `signals when the' lamp is lighted, andshould the vehicle carrying this signaling mechanism be turned in onedirection, the proper flexible connection 14a is operated to dispose theproper signaling member to its extended position, thereby indicating toall vehicles in the rear of thismoving vehicle, the direction in whichthe latter is about to turn.

In operating the signals individually, 'when the one iiexible connectionis drawn in the direction in which it extends, the signal on theopposite side face of the lamp is forced outwardly to its extendedposition, as disclosed in the drawings. .This is accomplishedin viewiofthe fact that the pivot point 12 is drawn with the particular flexibleconnection which is pulled or drawn and the one arm 11 adjacent the lastmentioned connection merely swings on its point of pivotal connectionwith the lower end, 10' of the arm or rod 5, Without affecting thelatter whatsoever. ,The other larm 11, however, when drawn inthedirection of the ulling of the last mentioned flexible connection 14a,

will actuate the lower curved end of the other rod or arm 5 and causethe same to'be swung in such a position asl to dispose the signal 6thereon in 'its extended position. In order to return this 'signal toits closed or retracted position against the side of the lamp box,I theother flexible connection 14 is drawn in the direction in which itextends.

and the eifect thereof, is obvious.

l While I have shown this operating mechanism as being a manual one, thesame may, if desired, be substituted by an automatic means as thisparticular form of mechanism is, in itself, an unimportant part of theinvention. While the flexible connections 14, which extend from oppositesides of the pivot point 12, are operated to dispose the one signal orthe other to its extended position, when it is desired to throw bothsignaling devices to their extended positions, the operating rod 14 isactuated. This latter rod 14 is actuated when it is intended, to

bring the vehicle carrying this-device to a stop. This will readilyindicate to those in the rear of the moving vehicle the intention of thedriver of the latter and all other vehicles maybe governed accordingly.

In my device, the lamp-box is preferably flared toward'the rear facethereof, or in other words, thel same is tapered outwardly from thefront to the rear face of the same, thereby positioning the side signalsin inclined planes. In this manner,.the light from these side signals ofthe lamp will be transmitted through the openings in the piv.

oted signaling members, when the latter are in theirextended-positions', so that the device may be equally as effective atnight as it is during the day. -V

While I have particularly described my signaling mechanism as adaptedfor use in.

connection withv a lamp of an automobile, it will be understood thatthe' same may be used entirely independentof said lamp and will beequally as effective.

It will further be seen that I have pron vided a device which is simplein construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be veryefficient and `useful in operation and while Il have particularlydescribed the elements best adapted to perform thc functions setforth,it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the nvention,

Having thus described this invention, what I claimlis:-

. 1. The combination with alsupport; of a port, a pair of vertical rodsjournaled therey on and spaced from one another, the lower ends of saidrods extending' slightly below said 'support and being bent rearwardlyand thence forwardly, the latter bent portions of said rods beingdisposed inwardly toward one another and terminating in. a plane for-`ward of the plane of -the support, signaling melnbers carried on saidrods, a pair of arcuate arms pivoted to one another at their rearv endsand having their forward ends respectively pivoted to the freevends ofthe bent portions of saidrods, and/an operating rod engaged with said.arms at their point of engagement with one another.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JOHN H. SIMPSON.

lVitnesses t HERBERT WRIGHT OSCAR L. WRIGHT.

